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I have the Sena and love them. I did have the Scala G4 and had nothing but problems with them. I also had problems with Scala factory on getting a refund. The biggest improvement the Sena has over the others is that they do not use VOX.
Mike

That's one of the big questions Ted. When I was deciding on what I wanted for my RT-P - the decision was already J&M - the question was Bluetooth or wired, I spent some time visiting with a couple friends that used one or the other, then spent some time visiting with Pete at J&M. Pete works on salary so he couldn't care less on what choice I made.

Two things that moved me to a wired system. 1) battery life and the need to recharge on longer rides and 2) the most important consideration for me was the fact that even J&M states specifically regarding the random unpairing of Bluetooth devices. When I "want" the system to work, if it drops the paired connection, I'll be unnecessarily irritated that I have to stop and pair again to keep using the unit. If it drops at the wrong time, there could be unintended consequences that could have been avoided by simply using a [cheaper] hard wired system.

FWIW - I like to listen to music, books and language courses, via Zumo, when I ride. I have no experience with passenger or "buddy" communications.

I have a Nolan with the BT headset (mono) and a Scala G4. Both cost about $250.
Never had any real problems with either of them, and the G4 was recently replaced (without cost) after the charging port failed.

The Nolan cannot be moved to another helmet, the battery will not last a long day at high volume (I use ear plugs), but can be charged while riding, with the unit switched off. Audio quality is average to poor.

The G4 is stereo BT, lasts all day, has a radio with six preset channnels, has a USB interface (to set language and radio channels) and has a quality feel about it. Audio quality is average.

I went with the Scala G4's this spring -- let me know if you would like to meet up to see/test listen to them.

One of the reasons I went with the G4's over the G2 is that the G4's were built to the latest Bluetooth spec (better AD2P(sp?) stereo audio and compatibility, IIRC); I'm not sure whether the G2's are as capable as the G4's -- I suspect a firmware upgrade for the G2 is already out there, but I don't know whether there are any hardware differences.

With the G4, I was pleasantly surprised by the audio quality. Not quite as good as J&M wired headsets (which I've used for the last decade), but pretty close, IMO. I'm pretty picky about such things, but after using the G4 for a while, I realized the fidelity is more than adequate for a motorcycle environment. Like all headsets, speaker placement is critical. The speakers are considerably thinner than the ones with the top-end J&M headsets, making helmet fitment easier.

Another area I believe the G4's improve on the G2's is battery life. My set up is iPhone 4 connected via Bluetooth to a Zumo 660 (rather than the G4 -- that lets me see incoming calls on/dial from the 660's screen), and Zumo 660 connected to the G4. I have an 8GB microSD card in the 660 for mp3's (alternatively, the G4 helmet base has a jack for a cable directly to an mp3 player). Commuting to/from Fairfax City to 10th & Penn means ~1.5-2 hrs of use a day. If I don't use the mp3 player, I go at least a week between charges. If I listen to music, life is less, but frankly I'm not sure how much less -- I haven't killed the battery yet. I tend to throw it on the charger ~ 1/wk if I think about it when I'm in the garage. It lasted the whole day riding up to Finger Lakes (some mp3 use, but not much -- mental trash can-scouring time, as Robert Persig would say ). Once at the rally, I put it on the mini-USB cable-cigarette-socket charger I carry on the airhead RT Friday evening for a while, and that was it through the rest of the weekend until home. Obviously, YMMV, but I was again pleasantly surprised by the battery life.

I recognize price ia a consideration, but I'm of the mind that if the money is available, buy what works best for your needs -- unhappiness with a less than satisfactory choice will far outlast any memory of any money saved.

Sena SMH10

My wife and I used the Sena SMH10 dual system this riding season (2010) and they worked great. Clear audio between the motorcycles. The devices are small and are very easy to use with gloves on. I'd highly recommend them.

I know it's not on your list Ted but I've been pretty happy with my 1st generation Chatterbox XBi. I only use it to hear directions from my GPS and I did use it once to place a phone call while I was getting gas.

I bought the Scala Rider Q2 team set about a year ago. I ride with the wife 2 up and we used them a lot over the 12,000 miles we put on in the last year. We turn them on in the morning and recharge at night on trips and they have never let us down even after being on for 12 hours. I liked them so much I bought the new G4 team set about three weeks ago. Those are even better. We can now listen to the iPod bluetooth instead of using the wires. The reception is better and the speakers are louder. I bought my G4 Teamset from Baird Cycle out of Elkhart, Indiana for $310. He has the Q2 Team Set for a little over $200. He has a ebay store under the name of sport bike needs. No matter where you get them you will not regret the purchase.

Sena SMH10

Just used these units on a trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Very user friendly, excellent audio and modest range.

They seem to be good for about a half mile or so which is good. Bike to bike com is only two parties at a time though, they are a blue tooth connection protocal and not like walkie talkie radios where several can be on the same frequency at once.

Battery is non replaceable but should it ever not take a charge I am sure a workaround will be available or the technology will have already been superceded by then. Hell of a lot of fun choosing music, talking with other riders and making the occasional phone call. Worked with my Garmin by cable too (Nuvie 760.)

+1 on Sena

Ted - I use my Sena for;

iPod music and (mostly) podcasts
Bike to Bike and rider to passenger communication
Receiving phone calls
XM radio

I use the system while wearing foam earplugs - these eliminate the wind noise, but the fidelity and volume on the Sena come through. The Sena is smart, interrupting entertainment to take a call or communication from another rider - and then automatically going back after the call. If the source was an iPod (or MP3 Blackberry source which works very well) it pauses the soundtrack and returns where it left off. I've used it with modular and full face helmets - installation is easy, 5 minutes tops.

Battery life is a full day - I've run 14 hours with no problem.

The system isn't fussy, easy to use with gloves, and never had any problems with rain.

Factory support is top notch - I bought mine thru Adam at Rocketmoto.com - very knowledgable reseller with very good prices. Usual disclaimers.